Vladimir Putin is demanding that Ukraine give up all of the eastern Donbas region, renounce ambitions to join NATO, remain neutral and keep Western troops out of the country, three sources familiar with top-level Kremlin thinking told Reuters.

Russia said Wednesday attempts to resolve security issues relating to Ukraine without Moscow's participation were a "road to nowhere," and that much diplomatic work needs to be done before Vladimir Putin and Volodymyr Zelenskyy are ever in the same room.

NATO aircraft scrambled from Romania following a large-scale Russian attack on across Ukraine overnight, including in the Odesa region near Danube River border with allied nation.

KYIV, Ukraine (AP) — Russia launched a rare drone and missile attack on western Ukraine overnight, officials said Thursday, striking targets including an American-owned electronics plant and injecting further uncertainty into the U.S.-led efforts to end the three-year-old war.

Nearly a week after President Trump’s Alaska summit, his suggestions of imminent breakthroughs have not come to pass.

Matt Gaetz suggested Monday that the North Atlantic Treaty Organization offer membership to Russia—the country it describes as “the most significant and direct threat to allies’ security.” Gaetz, hours after President Donald Trump met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and other European allies to work toward a peace deal,

But despite the guarded optimism and friendly banter among the leaders, there was little concrete progress on the main obstacles to peace — and that deadlock likely favors Russian President Vladimir Putin, whose forces continue to make steady, if slow, progress on the ground in Ukraine.

As the front lines froze, and air defenses got better, Russia and Ukraine pivoted away from close bombing runs to standoff attacks.

Russia’s foreign minister has cast fresh doubt on peace talks, questioning “the legitimacy” of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky to sign any future agreements after targetting a US factory in a large bombardment on Ukraine.